Former Coronation Street actress, Wendi Peters, has admitted that she hated her character Cilla Battersby and couldn’t even bear to watch herself on screen.

Wendi is making a short comeback to the show for a new DVD, Coronation Street: Out Of Africa released next month.

Wendi, 40, told the Daily Star: “If they’ve ever shown a clip of Cilla on the telly, I’ve had to go out the room. I’d say ‘I can’t stand her, she’s horrible – please take her away!’

“I’ve not missed her at all. I’ve even had my hair cut so I look less like her.

“I loved being in Coronation Street but four years was a long time and Cilla is such an in-your-face character. I wanted to try other things.

“As much as I love Cilla, I want to move on. It would be great to play someone a bit more serene. Someone as far away from Cilla as possible really!”